Destiny's Curse
by Driftingondreams
Summary: Midnight Predator A clan destoryed. A boy with a fish. A child, born hunter, forced to be a pet. A rescuer. Destiny and a curse. I know, not a good summery... the other one I thought of gave too much away...
1. Clan Attack

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a Fan Fic. So please, feel free to give me constructive criticism. You may notice that (especially in the beginning chapters) I do not use many of Amelia Atwater-Rhodes characters, but I may toss in a few names here and there that you will recognize.

Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to claim every idea, and character in here as my own. I respect Amelia Atwater-Rhodes too much. You will find several of her ideas in here, and maybe a character or two. I cannot take credit for them.

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**Chapter 1: Attacked**

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Just a child by human standards, at ten, she could already yield any kind of sword, throw any kind of knife and hunt with a bow and arrow. She was decent with a staff as well. She was Zharane Varan, a part of the Ooni Clan of hunters. The Ooni Clan was one of five clans descended from the Vontaon who were immortal hunting witches. Zharane had begun training the moment she could hold a knife in her hand. It was the way of the clan. Her birthday had just passed, and the news of her father's death at the hand of a vampire was received, neither of which disturbed Zharane's training or focus. She wanted to be the best. She could already beat most of the other children her own age at anything. She wanted to beat them all, in everything. She didn't want to settle for second best.

It was a dark night and Zharane couldn't sleep. The air, the heat, the blankets, everything bugged her this night. Finally she gave up on trying to sleep and tossed off her blankets, slipping out of her bed. She pulled on some clothes and headed outside. She knew Liliah was on look out this night. Liliah was the clan leader, but also someone Zharane could go to for anything. Tonight she just wanted company. She found Liliah near the bell. Liliah was sitting upon a large rock and watching over the camp. She sat down beside Lilah.

"Trouble sleeping, child?" Lilah asked, keeping her eyes to the forest.

"Yes." Zharane admitted. "Something disturbs me."

"Is it your father's death?"

"No." She looked around a moment, and then back to Lilah. "Something is different tonight."

"I feel it to, child." Lilah tensed. Even at ten Zharane instantly went on alert. "Come, quick."

Lilah was up and headed for the warning bell as the first vampire appeared. Zharane screamed names in her head. She knew not to draw extra attention. Her mother came out of their tent fully armed as more vampires appeared. She saw Zharane with Lilah and attacked a vampire.

"Ring the bell, don't stop until I tell you to run." Lilah ordered Zharane, drawing her sword. She tossed the girl a short sword.

Zharane made the bell and began tolling it. Lilah took on one of the strongest vampires. Vampires and clan's men were fighting and dieing. The ground was covered in blood. Zharane kept ringing the bell. Lilah was losing. The vampire she fought threw her into the bell. Zharane moved towards her.

"No! Run Child!"

The vampire appeared before them: his golden eyes glowing with triumph. Zharane leapt at him, stabbing forward with the short sword, and her magic and anger. He fell backwards writhing in pain. Her magic sent with the sword was as powerful as any Vida blade. Zharane helped Lilah up. The vampire might not die, she had missed his heart, but he would be in pain for a while. She ran with Lilah, knowing that the rest of the clan was dieing. She couldn't help them. She wasn't strong enough to face the dozens of vampires alone, and Lilah was hurt. They didn't stop until Lilah nearly collapsed. Zharane found small cave, something to provide some shelter. She led Lilah into it.

"Zharane, you must not go back, no matter what happens." Lilah told her.

"I won't." She promised.


	2. My Fish!

Author's note: I know I'm posting the second chapter right away, but I had it typed, and the first was a little short.

Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1.

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**Chapter 2: My Fish!

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**

Six months later.

There was a small river a short distance from where Lilah and Zharane had camped. Zharane rose before the sun and went to the river to find food. She slid into the water and waded in up to her waist. She waited, watching the water, and feeling the creatures moving within it. It was something she'd been taught by a Vida who was friend to the clan. He had taught her and her brother how to fish by feel and hands on one of his visits to the clan when she was young. The fish came towards her. She waited. Come a little closer. She slid her hands slowly into the water. There, she reached and grabbed it. It thrashed in her hands as she pulled it from the water. She held it tight, pulling it to her chest for better control; ignoring the pounding it gave her with its fin.

"Hey that's my fish!"

She held onto the fish, wading towards the shore. She ignored the boy. He'd not caught the fish, she had. It was her fish.

"I said that's my fish, child." She now looked at him. He was perhaps two years older then her. And he was not Ooni, nor vampires.

"I did not see you in the water, catching it."

"I was about to." He argued.

"Well, you did not." And she started to walk back towards where she'd left Lilah. She should be awake already, and probably wondering where Zharane was. The boy was still following her and complaining about the fish. She didn't listen, but wished he'd go away.

Lilah already had the fire going, when they arrived back at camp. Lilah was cleaning a stick to use as a spit.

"Lilah, would you tell this boy that this is my fish!" Zharane said, pointing at the boy following her. Lilah looked over the boy, who was looking Lilah over in return.

"Where did you get the fish, dear?" Lilah asked.

"The river we passed last night." She was soaked from head to toe, still holding the squirming fish tightly against her chest.

"It seems you didn't even get wet, son of Sharden. It looks to me, that Zharane is the one who caught the fish." Lilah told the boy.

"I was going for that fish, Lilah, of the Ooni." The boy shot back.

"Aiming for and catching are two different things." Lilah said. "Would you share with us, I do believe that Zharane's fish is more then large enough."

"I will."

Lilah started coughing. Zharane recognized the pain in her eyes. Both her and the boy rushed to her.

"I'm alright." She shooed them both. "Do you know how to prepare a fish, son of Sharden?"

"Of course."

"Please show Zharane. I will go get some more wood for the fire."

The boy sat down on a stump and pulled out a knife. He showed her how to gut and prepare the fish. They were just finishing when Lilah returned. Lilah cooked the fish and they ate.

"Tell me," Lilah said after a mouth full. "How far our we from the Narn clan?"

"Not far." The boy answered.

"Would you take us? I need to speak with Shardan."

"I will take you, only because you are Lilah. My father will not be happy though."

"I will deal with his anger."

After they finished the fish they cleaned up and put out the fire before following the boy up the river, towards the Narn clan's home. They arrived by midday. The fortress was only a short distance from the riverbank. Zharane was taken aback by the size of the fortress. It was huge. She stared in amazement. The boy laughed at her.

"It's not that big." He teased.

"She's not seen a fortress yet, lad." Lilah told him.

"Well, then she should see inside. Come on."

He led them in through a small side gate, which he locked once they were inside. He took them to the clan leaders meeting room.

"Wait here. I will get my father." He left them alone in the room.

Lilah sank into a chair. Her breathing was labored, and she was in a lot of pain. Zharane went to her.

"Are you alright?" She questioned.

"I'll be fine, dear."


	3. Rejected

Author's note: I'm updating again! Yay! Thanks to my sister for proofreading for me. And thank you to JenniferLongo for reviewing! I've got a few chapters written, the delay is getting them typed and proofread. :) Keep looking forward to the next. And please, enjoy!

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Chapter 3 : Rejected

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"What is it, Nam?" They could hear the annoyed voice, as two sets of footsteps approached the door. There was no reply, as the door opened. Nam, stepped in with a man, who looked like an older version of the boy. He frowned as soon as he saw who awaited him.

"Why did you bring them here?" He turned and demanded of Nam.

"Because they fed me, even though it was my fish." The boy glared at Zharane. "And they wanted to talk to you."

"Your fish?" The man asked.

Zharane interrupted indignantly. "It was my fish. I caught it with my hands, while he sat on the bank with a stick!"

The man couldn't help but to laugh. Both Zharane and the boy stared at him. When he had gotten control of his laughter he looked to Lilah.

"Nam, call for Mila, and keep this girl out of trouble. Lilah and I have things to discuss."

"But-"

"No arguments."

"Come on, then." Nam told the girl, with a sigh as he left the room.

Zharane hesitated, and glanced towards Lilah who nodded approval. Zharane followed the boy, Nam, from the room. Mila's quarters were not far from the meeting room. Nam knocked on the door. Mila was a Smoke Witch, introduced by Nam as a healer. Had the man, whom Zharane now suspected to be Sharden, realized that Lilah was hurt? Mila was on her way to the meeting room, and Nam was leading Zharane in a different direction.

"Can you throw a knife like you fish?" Nam asked her.

"No." She stated, as if factually. "Throwing is much different."

He laughed, leading her into a small room where targets were set up for blade throwing. He lifted a small folded cloth from a ledge near the door and pulled out five small throwing knives and handed them to her.

"Let's see." She tucked four of them into her belt and set the fifth on her open palm. She shifted her hand slightly, this way and that.

"I said throw it. What are you doing?"

"Feeling the weight of it." With a flick of her wrist she sent the dagger flipping into the air, catching it by the tip. With ease she flipped it again, this time sending it towards the target. It landed with a slight quiver in the line of the outer ring. The boy was about to say something, when she let fly the second knife. It landed in the next ring, just slightly above the first. She repeated this with the next two knives, and landed the last directly in the center of the bullseye.

"You missed, four times."

"No I didn't."

He walked up to the board to retrieve the knives. When he got there he stopped, looking at them. He moved his finger from one to the other, starting with the one on the outer line, going to the center. They were perfect distance and height apart, like stair steps to the center. He pulled them out and walked back to where she stood. He took two steps back and threw them himself, not saying a word. The first landed dead center: the remaining four all landing to form a square around the first in the center.

"That's how you're supposed to do it." He told her.

"Boring." She remarked with a yawn.

Nam continued to try to show off. In some things he was honestly better then her, like in archery. In others she was the better of the two. He knew magic she had not studied yet, but she was determined to learn them better than he. After awhile they grew bored with competing, because overall they were evenly matched. They headed back to the meeting room, where they had left Lilah and Sharden.

They could hear the voices of the two arguing drifting out into the hall as they approached.

"I cannot allow you two to stay. The vampires will search for you, especially if it was Lucus who lead them." That voice was clearly Sharden's.

"I will leave, but I plead with you to keep the girl. She needs training, and a home." That was Lilah.

"I cannot put my clan at that great a risk."

"And what shall she do when I pass?"

"If she is as strong as you claim, she will survive."

"She is only a child of ten. Please, Sharden.'

"I cannot."

"Then we shall leave, now."

"Mila leaves in the morning, and there is a Vida who will be traveling with her. Wait and go with them."

"No, we've already accepted too much from an inhospitable clan. We will leave tonight. If the Vida and Mila wish, they may join us in the morning."

"Stubborn, woman! Go then! Do not return!" Sharden's frustration was evident in his voice.

The door opened and Lilah frowned to find the Nam and Zharane standing there. She changed it to a smile.

"Come Zharane, it is time for us to depart."

"Our paths will cross again." Nam told Zharane. He offered her one of his knives. "Good luck on your travels, and hunting. Next time we meet, we will have to spar and see who is the better fighter."

"When our paths meet again, I'll be ready." Zharane told him, and followed Lilah out.


End file.
